Infographic: Understanding the 7 Wastes of Lean

Every time you eliminate waste in the day-to-day process to manufacture your product, it increases your profit. It is that simple! The 7 wastes of Lean, listed below, are the main culprits.

Transport: Moving products or materials from one location to another adds cost, doesn’t add value, and wastes time.

Inventory: Unnecessary inventory of raw materials that collects before or after a process. Takes up space, unnecessary expenditure. 

Waiting: This is idle time that wastes money waiting for materials or information, or further instruction.

Overproduction: This is making more product than needed, assuming that the customers will need it. Anything made beyond what is needed is a waste of resources, time and space.

Motion or Movement: This is in regards to excess movement or motion because of poorly designed workspace in the organization.

Defects: The causes can range from poor quality control to failure to communicate and everything in between.

Extra Processing: This is anything extra that you include after the product has met specifications, such as extra wrapping/boxes, just about anything that is not needed.

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